Are You A Desktop, Laptop or Tablet Person

These are confusing times for people getting ready to buy a new computer. Will they still be making desktops in a few years? Are tablets just a fad? The iPad and Android-based tablets have exploded in popularity, but are they replacement options for a “real” computer. If you have someone in your life that is ready to go shopping for a new computer, we’ll help you help them make a decision what to get.

Operating System aside, we’re basing this comparison on form factor, power and usability. You first need to decide what you’ll be doing with the computer and whether you can survive using a tablet, or if you want to stick with a desktop or laptop computer. In general, users with have either a laptop or desktop, and a tablet computer to sync it to. Some, however, are discovering they don’t need the processing power of a real computer. They have decided that they can do everything they want to on a tablet.

Which Computer Are You Best Suited For

Below is our unofficial ranking system. We understand that there are high-end and low end systems that can skew these ranks. We based our ranking on general attributes of mid-level models. We gave each a numerical rating between 1 and 5, with 5 being the best. Pick only the categories that are important to you and then discard the others. Add up the numbers for each, and the result should help you decide if you’re best suited for a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer.

The PCTechBytes Official Unscientific Comparison

Desktops – Desktops are recommended for power, home office and multimedia use. If you know you’re going to be using Photoshop or high-end video editing, then you’ll want a decent desktop with a lot of RAM, processing and graphics power.

Laptops – Best known as a desktop replacement with good portability and enough power to run some games and some productivity programs such as Microsoft Office.

Tablets – Tablets are ultra-portable, and are great for checking email or video chatting with family.

Hopefully, this comparison has been helpful for you deciding whether you are a traditional desktop user, a laptop user, or an on-the-go tablet user. Let us know your thoughts on this comparison and if you have any additional methods to help users decide what their next computer should be.